Rude gesture 'final straw' in neighbours' parking row

A former police officer's rude gesture to his wealthy neighbour was the final
straw in a bitter feud over parking, a court heard.

Geoff Franklin after an alleged assault by his neighbour, and Corrinne Branson, who took out an injunction against him

7:00AM GMT 12 Nov 2011

Geoff Franklin, who served with the Metropolitan Police for 17 years, made the explicit hand signal to Corrinne Branson because he was fed up with his neighbour constantly taking photographs of him and his family.

But the incident resulted in Mrs Branson and her chartered accountant husband Anthony seeking an injunction against Mr Franklin, who lives in a cottage on the same luxury development as the Bransons in a quiet village near Hever, Kent.

The Bransons had previously launched a costly civil court battle against Mr Franklin and his landlords Pedro and Mavis Marrero, who live nearby, over the long-running row about parking.

The trio are accused of foul-mouthed abuse, intimidation and even attempting to release the Branson's herd of alpacas into the countryside.

At Dartford County Court, Mr Franklin said he made the rude gesture because Mrs Branson had been taking photos of him and his sons as they returned from a day's shooting, carrying shotguns and a dead Mallard duck.

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He said Mrs Branson constantly took photos of his family and he was "worried" at the "stress" this was causing his wife and daughter-in-law.

But Stephen Cogley QC, for the Bransons, said: "You were swaggering up and down outside your house with your family carrying shot guns.

"And then you came home brandishing your dead duck sticking your fingers up at Mrs Branson and all laughing at her.

"Mrs Branson felt sufficiently disturbed by this to go to court and get an injunction.

"This was dealt with by you giving an undertaking to the court."

He added: "The Bransons are not happy with you having a shot gun because they believe you are unstable."

The court also heard that nine months earlier Mr Franklin and Mr Branson, 62, had allegedly exchanged blows in a disagreement over trimming a beech hedge.

The altercation happened after Mr Franklin was caught pruning the overgrown bush, which is next to a parking space he is entitled to use on land owned by the Bransons.

Mr Franklin, who was left bloodied, bruised and concussed after the incident, alleged Mr Branson "bludgeoned" him with a 15-inch wooden stick after calling him a "moron".

But Mr Cogley branded Mr Franklin a "liar" and alleged he had "come towards" Mr Branson "trying to kick him in the balls".

He said: "I suggest that you are grossly exaggerating and twisting the events that occurred on July 3 2009 perhaps because you found yourself, as a tough ex-policeman, restrained by a portly retired accountant in his 60s whose wife had phoned the police."

During the incident, which was taped by Mrs Branson on an audio recorder, Mr Franklin is heard telling Mr Branson: "I've killed better men than you".

Mr Franklin, who is an undischarged bankrupt, admitted he made the threat, but said: "After I had been hit by Mr Branson I didn't know what he was capable of. I didn't know if he was going to kill me."

The court heard that prior to the altercation keen tennis player Mr Franklin had drunk three cans of Carlsberg lager while watching Tim Henman playing in the quarter finals of Wimbledon.

But after Mr and Mrs Branson returned home to watch the tennis with a glass of wine, Mr Franklin decided to go out and trim the hedge, Mr Cogley said.

He said Mrs Branson had spotted Mr Franklin cutting the bush after going outside to feed their cat - and called Mr Branson to come and deal with the situation.

He said Mrs Branson went inside to get the recorder and when she returned outside she saw her husband and Mr Franklin "sprawled in the flower bed" with Mr Franklin "threatening to kill him".

The case will return to court at a later date for the judge to hear the parties' final submissions.